CCC inquiry into WA Ombudsman Chris Field hears he spent just 36 days in the office in a year

WA Ombudsman Chris Field and his lawyer Christian Porter leave the inquiry on Thursday. (ABC News: David Weber)

WA’s ombudsman, the independent officer of parliament responsible for investigating the integrity of public authorities, spent only 36 days working in the office over the course of 13 months, a corruption hearing has been told.

Ombudsman Christopher Field was asked about his time in the office during a Corruption and Crime Commission (CCC) inquiry in Perth on Thursday.

When asked if it was true he had been in the office for just 36 days of the 2023 calendar year, Mr Field responded he “wouldn’t think it would be correct”.

The CCC was then shown swipe card records from January 2023 to January 2024 suggesting it was correct.

The records also showed timelines of his trips to Morocco, Pakistan, Slovenia, the UK, Thailand, Taiwan, Italy and Bahrain, as president of the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI).

The CCC has focused on Mr Field’s role as IOI president, and the contribution of the ombudsman’s office to his travel and other activities.

Mr Field, who has been the ombudsman since 2007, had earlier told the CCC he worked “extensively” from home and had done lots of overtime.

Ombudsman denies conflict of interest

The CCC has zeroed in on an agreement the ombudsman entered into with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), following a meeting with the body’s secretary-general, Mathias Cormann.

The commission was told WA taxpayers would pay the OECD more than 129,000 euros, or $213,000, for a cooperative research project described in documents as relating to “the role of Ombudsman institutions in building a culture of open government for stronger and more resilient communities”.

Commissioner John McKechnie and counsel assisting Kirsten Nelson quizzed the ombudsman on how the project was going to benefit WA taxpayers and communities.

Mr Field met Mr Cormann in Paris during one of his overseas trips in 2022, aiming to brief him on the work of the IOI, even though he usually only met heads of state, prime ministers, treasurers and finance ministers.

The commission was shown a trail of emails which primarily made references to the role of the IOI, rather than Western Australia.

There was a specific reference to WA in an email to Premier Roger Cook’s chief of staff, Daniel Pastorelli, on October 15, 2023.

Mr Field had been asked by Mr Pastorelli for details, and he said that along with having a target audience “of our major trading partners”, the project would “have a particular focus on engagement with Aboriginal Western Australians, refugee communities and other diaspora communities as well as the emerging digital sphere”.

Ms Nelson asked Mr Field about his contacts with Mr Pastorelli regarding the project, and the ombudsman responded that he “didn’t have a photographic recollection”, but remembered having regular face-to-face meetings.

He said he was aware of the penalties for perjury, and “as a matter of certainty” he discussed it with Mr Pastorelli because he remembered mentioning Mr Cormann.

The ombudsman was the contract manager for the OECD project.

Ms Nelson asked Mr Field if he’d turned his mind to “any possible conflicts of interest”, considering his IOI presidency.

“I identified no conflict whatsoever,” he replied.

“I had nothing to gain personally in any shape or form.”

Saffioti questions OECD funding

Mr Field has told the commission that funding for the project was intended to be shared, with contributions from the IOI and office of the ombudsman (OWA).

In the time between Mr Field’s meeting with Mr Cormann and early 2024, emails showed differing accounts of who would pay what.

But the CCC was shown an invoice from the OECD, dated September 12, 2023, for the ombudsman’s office alone to pay 129,960 euros within 30 days.

An email trail suggested there was concern within OWA about the OECD project.

Then, on November 6, 2023, Treasurer Rita Saffioti sent a strongly worded email to OWA.

“The basis upon which the Ombudsman had authority to enter into the agreement or is authorised to pay the contribution of 129,960 euros is not immediately apparent,” she wrote.

“I direct you to provide me with a written explanation.”

The treasurer then added in bold: “Payment should not be made on the invoice until the question of authority is resolved.”

Ms Saffioti wanted the response to be hand-delivered and marked “private and confidential”.

The ombudsman’s response was prepared by his finance director and delivered by hand a week later.

The response said the ombudsman did have authority, and the IOI would contribute 50,000 euros.

When Mr Field was asked if the money had actually been paid to the OECD, he told the commission it hadn’t, and he was waiting until after the findings of the inquiry “out of respect” .

Mr Field is being represented at the inquiry by former federal attorney-general Christian Porter.

The CCC hearings have been adjourned to March.

Mr Field advised the CCC that in the meantime, he had a trip scheduled to Tashkent, in Uzbekistan.